Life, Death, and Life again
by lastat-chan
Summary: Cloud is lost, a boy is found, odd twists and some spoliers or things I made up. Come on and read it.
1. Death

One bright sunny day, Cloud and the others were out training as usual. Cloud was deep in thought other wise, Vincent usually was asleep or stalking people, Cid was flying the highwind, and the rest did their normal activities. Tifa sighed, Cloud has not been the same since Aeris died, it was a hard way to go, just loesing Aeris then haveing to kill Sephiroth. She looked back at him, he was polishing his weapon and prepareing it for battle.

"Cloud?" asked Tifa walking over to him and sitting beside him.

"Hm? What is it Tifa?" asked Cloud.

"... Oh nothing just wanted to say 'Hi'." said Tifa smileing at Cloud.

"I see. Well hello to you too." said Cloud, never looking up from his weapon the buster blade.

"Oh ok, I'll go see the others for a moment ok?" asked Tifa.

"Ok see you." said Cloud. Tifa walked off it was like he didn't even notice her. Cloud looked up at the sky, it was clear, sun shineing, he wished Aeris was here to enjoy the planet, she sacrificed herself, for some thing she could not enjoy.

"Aeris... I wish you were here." said Cloud, he finished cleaning his sword, he looked at his reflection, he looked so much like Sephiroth, "My relfection is my curse..."

Tifa had tripped over Vincent not paying attention to where she was going. "Eep!" said Tifa. Just then Vincent caught her 2cm from the ground.

"Are you alright?" asked Vincent coldly, apparently he was asleep.

"I'm fine." said Tifa standing up and looking at Vincent. Vincent brushed himself off and walked over to Cloud.

"Hey, if become over obsessed with a weapon, then you shall become the weapon it's self." said Vincent.

"Huh? Oh morning, Vincent." said Cloud. He looked back down, he smiled then looked back at vincent, "What did you mean by that?"

"Oh nothing important, just the usual." said Vincent sarcastically. Cloud stood up and put away the weapon, he started to walk off. Vincent stood up and looked after him with his gaze.

Tifa was inside mean while, she looked at a picture of her and Cloud, it was when they were kids, Cloud looked so sad, since he wasn't ment to be in the picture, just Tifa, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, not Cloud. Tifa remembered she made Cloud be part of it, she sighed and put it down, then she looked up at the ceiling.

"Oh, Cloud, if I could I'd give you another chance on earth to have a better life." She looked down, she knew it wasn't possible, she wiped a few tears away from her eyes. She looked down, she wished she could help, Cloud hasn't fully recovered from his childhood, and when Sephiroth killed the only family member Cloud had that loved him, and then he almost made Cloud kill Aeris. She punched the wall and the wall dented, she held back her sobs, she was grieveing for Cloud, and Cloud didn't even notice her.

"Hey, no crying, it doesn't fit you." said Cloud sneeking up behind her.

"Uh... Cloud, when did you get in here!" asked Tifa.

"I came to see you." he smiled at her, it was apathetic but it was a smile. He wiped away her tears, and embraced her, "Listen, we've saved the planet, there's no need to be sad."

"I know, but.."

"I won't leave your side, I'll never leave you Tifa." said Cloud makeing her a promise.

"Cloud... I'm so happy to hear that." said Tifa, she closed her eyes and held her head against his cheast. He held her in a tighter embrace, and closed his eyes as well. They were surrounded in a never ending time or so it felt, just then they landed near the lost city of the ancients.

"Well let's go see if we can retreave the holy materia." said Cloud, he smiled at her, then he started to walk out, Tifa fallowed him, she looked about the city, it seemed so empty, so scary, she hated it, and knowing her best friend's body was here made it even more emptier and scarier. She walked faster as if she were trying to escape horrible memories.

"It's so sad." said Tifa, "Returning here, it seems like a nightmare."

"I know, it' like a dream, just hard to imagine, what happened here, and who lost their life, or lives, who knows how many died here." said Cloud, walking down the narrow path, finally they were about to get to the building which Aeris died in, when they saw a shadowy monster figure in the distance. The monster then lunged at them, Cloud threw tifa out of the way, he jumped at the last second, pulling out his Buster Blade to attack, then he landed, he jumpe dout of the way again as it swung at him, but it hit his arm cutting it off. Cloud yelled in pain, Tifa covered her mouth, her eyes filled up with tears, then she scrame out, Vincent, and a few others heard he shout.

"Cloud no!" said Tifa running over to him, he held his hsoulder from which his arm was torn off.

"Tifa, run." said Cloud standing up, "Go to the Highwind, it's not safe here."

Vincent showed up to see the bloody scean, Cloud holding his shoulder of what was left of his arm, blood spewed across the ground, and on the monsters claws. His eyes widened, then sharpend, his body transformed into Chaos and he attacked the monster head on.

"Vincent, no!" said Tifa, "Help me get Cloud out of here!"

Cloud stood up, and used Knight of the Round, and attacked the beast with the summon, the monster was supposedly destroyed. Cloud limped over to pick up his sword, his arm was bleed perfusely, and he was starting to feel, tired.

"Cloud..." said Vincent.

"No... I'm fine..." said Cloud.

"Your arm." said Tifa.

"I'll be fine, I'll go get a robotic one, that's all." said Cloud, not to fond of the idea, but willing to go through with it. They were starting to enter the building, when a sharp pain shot through Cloud's back, he stopped, blood trickled out of his mouth, his eyes widend, and a sharpclaw was stabbed through his heart.

"...!" said Tifa, she was to horrified to make a sound. vincent stood there, but caught Cloud, he layed Cloud on the floor, he was dead, his life drained from his body. The monster retreated back into the form of a woman, then dissapeared. Tifa stood there in shock, her heart was beating fast, she knelt down, Cloud looked like he was in pain, but he wasn't anymore.

"...Cloud... Cloud!" shouted Tifa, she embraced Cloud's limp body, she began crying, "You can't die, not yet, you just made a promise, you can't give up on it now!"

Vincent averted his eyes, he knew he'd watch as all his friends grew old and died, and he's stay the same and wouldn't parish, but he didn't expect to lose one so soon, he held his eys, and began to tear up himself, not makeing a sound, he looked down at the floor.

"Cloud, please... You can't be... You just can't..." said Tifa. Vincent looked upon the water they had up Aeris in it was sparkleing with beautiful light, Vincent picked up Cloud's body, and started to walk to the water, Tifa walke dinto the water too, she couldn't bare to watch from afar. Vincent put Cloud's body in the water, Tifa put her head in Vincent's cheast, as Cloud sunk to the bottom, just as Aeris did, he fallowed in her foot steps.

They were walking out of the water, just then they heard, a child's laughing, and the sound of a ball bounceing up and down comeing from the building.

* * *

Hi this is Vampire, heh I'm gonna probably get flames, but oh well this is gonna have odd twists I hope you all like it!


	2. Conversation

Tifa heard the childish laughing, it sounded so familiar to her. It was so peaceful, so happy, just like Cloud's when he was a little child, but she knew it wasn't him... He was dead, and there was nothing she could do about it. Except mourn his death and everything about it, she loved him, and never told him, and now he was gone.

"Tifa..." murmured Vincent as he held her close, he felt her tears, then he too heard the child's laughing, comeing from the house near the lake, it was ghostly, it sent chills up Vincent's spine, and yet, he so much wanted to see what it was.

"Vincent... What is that?" asked Tifa.

"I'm... Not sure." said vincent as he looked over there, to make sure it was not a monster. Just then a greenish white colored ball bounced out of the thing, and a young boy, wearing white completely (like the white mages on FF1) came running out to get the ball. He stopped laughing after seeing the two adults in the water, his blue eyes gazed upon them, and a yellow spike of hair landed inbetween his eyes.

"Uhm.." said Tifa as she walked towards the young child, he backed away, and threw the ball at her, it missed of course, "Hey little guy, I'm not going to hurt you."

Vincent walked over and saw the young child trembleing where he stood, Vincent started woundering, 'How did this child get here?'

"Get away!" said the child, he closed his eyes and backed away even more.

"Are you here alone?" asked Vincent.

"No, the Cetra lady keeps me company." said the little boy.

"Cetra lady?" asked Tifa but her mind kept telling her, she's dead, just like Cloud.

"But little one... That woman has been dead for quite a while." said Vincent.

"Nu-uh! I was talking to her a minute ago!" said the Child in defence.

"But how is that possible?" asked Tifa looking at Vincent.

"Kid what is your name?" asked Vincent.

"The Cetra lady keeps calling me, Cloud Strife!" said the boy proudly. Tifa looked at him then to Vincent, who looked just a dumbfounded, then back at Cloud. This wasn't the same Cloud as before was it?

"We... Just lost a friend named, Cloud Strife." said Vincent.

"Really? I just woke up." said the little Cloud like he thought they were the only humans on the Earth.

"Just woke up?" asked Tifa.

"Yep! I was in water, and it was all wet, then I woke up on a pillar with the Cetra lady."

Tifa looked down, it was like Cloud only if had never met them before, a few tears came out of her eyes and hit the floor, she looked so sad, Cloud didn't know what was wrong and he knelt down and looked up at her face. His brilliant blue eyes shimmered into Tifa's brown eyes, and she stopped. She looked at the child and then embraced him. Cloud didn't know what was wrong but he didn't like this game they had of squeezeing the other one breathless.

"Stop!" said Cloud, Tifa let go of him, and looked at him, glareing at her, she remembered Cloud would do the same when they were younger, Cloud picked up the ball and looked at them, "That game wasn't very fun."

"A game?" asked Tifa, "No cloud, that was a hug, not a game."

"Really? What's a hug?" asked Cloud.

"Well it's away of show affection towards another person." said Tifa.

"Oh... What affection?" asked Cloud.

"Well..." said Tifa. vincent looked down at her, then to Cloud.

"No one can really define that one, it takes shapes, as another person, as an emotion.." said vincent, then a really strong gust bursted in and blew the child's hood off, Tifa covered her mouth and her eyes shimmered, Vincent's eyes grew wide as they looked upon the child's face, It was Cloud's not a hair out of place, spikey blonde hair, and pale skin. Blue eyes, and same face expression to match.

"Why are you looking at me?" asked Cloud, "Is there some thing on my face?"

"N-no..." said Tifa in disbelife.

"Cloud... Why don't you come with us?" asked Vincent.

"Can the Cetra lady come too?" asked Cloud.

"Of course she can." said Tifa. Cloud ran back intot he house, but the 'cetra lady', wasn't there, he called out "Cetra Lady", and there was no reply. Maybe he thought she was mad at him, or she was asleep, then he looked around and the place seemed scarier and colder than before. He ran out and hugged Tifa, and plead could they go. Tifa nodded and they were off to the Highwind.

Chpapter 2 end...


	3. explanation of a heart lost

While Tifa and Vincent were walking back cloud seemed to have regrets about leaveing, he looked back, and then up and then behind them again. Tifa looked down at the small child like version of Cloud.

"What's wrong Cloud?" asked Tifa.

"... I'm worried about the Cetra Lady." said Cloud like it was her name.

"I'm sure she's fine." said Tifa giving hima reassureing face, but her inner thoughts kept telling her she was dead and... So was Cloud and they both were laid to rest with each other. Tifa looked away as tears accumulated in her eyes, and she wiped her eyes of the tears, Cloud did not understand why she was crying.

"Why are you crying?" asked Cloud as he tugged on her skirt to get her attention.

"Oh, I wasn't cry," she lied, "I just... Had something in me eye!"

Vincent knew she was crying, he knew her well enough to know if she go something in her eye she'd just say 'ouch' not cry, but then, that little Cloud would not know that. Vincent shook his head, as they continued to the Highwind.

'How are we supposed to explain this situation to everyone?' thought Vincent.

Finally they arrived it was huge and Cloud's eyes gleamed looking at it. The ship he thought to crush them easily, but it was so magnifigant to look at, and he smiled, luckily he didn't walk to the side with the picture of the lady in the bikini painted on the Highwind.

"Hey Cloud, Ill show you to your room ok?" asked Tifa.

"Okay!" said Cloud as he smiled up at her. Tifa lead him to a room but of course everyone saw her, and before anyone could ask questions she ran off. Vincent walke din to see everyone else looking in the direction Tifa had run off to.

"I guess I'll explain things." said Vincent. Cid and yuffie who did not hear him jumped and looked at him, and everyone else turned around.

"That child like verson of Cloud you saw... Is not Cloud." said Vincent.

"What the hell are you talking about!" asked Cid.

"Well his name is Cloud oddly enough... But..." said Vincent.

"So what happend to Cloud!" asked Yuffie.

"Your not makeing any since." said Red and Cait Sith and Barret agreed.

"... The Cloud we all knew... Died." said Vincent.

"What!" shouted just about everyone.

"He was killed fighting a monster. Then this child came along, it was right after we left his body in the subterrainian lake Aeris is burried in as well."

"You've gotta be kidding me. How could he die!" said Yuffie rubbing her eyes.

Vincent looked down, he thought he let the news off easy but alas, he actually made them more questioning, and a few upset. Barret was even though he'd never let anyone know, Cid was like a bomb about ready to explode with rage, Yuffie was like one of those water fountains you'd see with water spewing out of faucets on them, Red looked down mourningly, and Cait sith did as well. It was like without Cloud all the fun and happiness died in the Highwind.

"Why didn't you $ing help him!" screamed Cid.

"We! ... We couldn't do anything ok!" shouted Vincent back, that retort made everyone just stop. Vincent never sreamed or looked up set, apathetic yes, but anger and sorrow masked his face this time. He turned and walked out with an air of anger surrounding him, he wanted to help, he wanted Cloud back, he wanted things to remain normal.

Cid just stood there dumbfounded, Vincent was different, and it scared him a little. Yuffie watch vincent walk off and moved a little, because it was obvious Vincent did not want to talk. It probably took him everything to tell them that.

"Here we are." said Tifa leading Cloud into a room.

"Wow! it's like my own room only it's metal, and what are these?" asked Cloud as he looked through 'Cloud's' things, and he pulled out a pair of black boxers.

"Uh... Nothing hold on while I get all of this outta here, then we'll later go get you some new clothes ok?" asked Tifa as she strifled a giggle.

"Ok?" replied Cloud confused but trying to sound confident. He watched as Tifa took all of the old clothes out and put them in her room, and started to straighten things out.

Later on Tifa slumped in her room, it was harder than it looked to remove all of Cloud's old things, it was harder on her heart, because, it was like takeing a pat of her heart and throwing it away, she looked down at the other outfit that Cloud had, the purple one, then she got the idea. She took out scissors and some needles and a lot of thread.

Cloud sat in his old room without realizeing it, he looked around the room and noticed a picture on his desk, it was a picture or the cetra lady and himself? He looked at it in confusion. But he smiled, because now he had a picture of the cetra lady with him. Tifa wlked in as he hid it under his bed, it looked a little suspisious, but then she thought he was just lookign around.

"I have something for you!" she smiled.

"What?" asked Cloud. She then presented the purple outfit it looked really good, although she rarely sowed. Cloud looked at it oddly, and thought it looked really cool but maybe just a little queer

"Do you want to put it on?" asked Tifa.

"Okay!" said Cloud as he took his shirt off, to reveal a large scar on his arm, and there was a scar on his cheast and stomach as well. Tifa thought about it Cloud if he had lived would've had all those scars as well including if he had kept his arm. She tugged his shirt on him and then she helped him put on the pants and take off the hat. She looked at him, he looked exactally like the Cloud Strife she knew and loved, the only difference was, he was a lot smaller. He looked up at her and smiled, and looked at himself int he mirror and tried to stand on his toes to make him look taller, but instead he fell backwards and Tifa caught him.

"Let's go show everyone else." said Tifa smieing at Cloud.

"Okay, let's go!" said Cloud as he took Tifa by the hand and ran off with her fallowing, just like when Cloud was excited about something when he was an adult, and she smiled a happier yer forlorn smile.


End file.
